What’s the Best Substitute for Cranberries?
Cranberries are a delicious and healthy fruit that can be used in many different recipes. What’s the best substitute for cranberries? The answer depends on what you’re cooking, but there is always an option! In this blog post, we will discuss the different substitutes people use when they don’t have fresh cranberries available.
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Cooks the Same: Apricots
In the United States, apricots are often confused with peaches in the shop. We can’t help but be perplexed since both appear to be identical. When in doubt, always check the label first simply to verify. Because of their delicate and delicious flesh, apricots make a wonderful substitute for cranberries. Despite the fact that they are a different colour, they cook very much the same.
Take advantage of apricots when making pies and dessert fillings. We all know how delicious cranberries are as a dessert filling, but apricots can also perform the job. To make a jelly filling, replace a cup of cranberries with a cup of mashed apricots and cook for about 10 minutes. You don’t even need to add much sugar as they are naturally sweet.
Nice and Tart: Apples
Apples are one of the most popular fruits for desserts and snacks. However, in addition to that, this fruit is quite versatile in the kitchen, able to take on several roles in most recipes. Furthermore, it’s not difficult to come by since every store has it, even the convenience shop.
Use your extra apples in place of cranberries if you ran to the market. For delectable apple pies, crisps, tarts, and cakes use 1 medium-sized apple over 1 cup of cranberries. One aspect I enjoy about this fruit is that it can add a wonderful savoury taste to meals. I cook apples in order to stuff things like roast chicken or turkey too.
Top Things to Do With Fresh Apples
Got some apples left? Check out more ideas for things to do with them to use them up!
Looks Similar and Tart Flavour: Cherries
When eaten alone, tart cherries are sweet and delicious. Both fruits have the same shape and dark colour, thus it’s difficult to tell them apart. This substitution makes the process much easier because of their identical form and colour. I know there are canned and frozen cherries on the market, but I still recommend consuming fresh ones when they’re in season
Cherries are wonderful for making jams and jellies for breakfast sandwiches, as well as soft cheese. It’s also a fantastic addition to muffins, cakes, and cupcakes. You may also make a filling out of it for pies and tarts with the gooey effect. This one is simpler to substitute since it only follows a ratio of 1:1.
Similar if a Little Sweeter: Redcurrants
Despite the fact that many people mix them up, red currants and cranberries are not the same. They’re from the genus Ribes, just like gooseberries, and they’re smaller. When ripe red currants become tart and a little sweet and they appear on the supermarket shelves around the same time as cranberries.
These, like cranberries, are sour and leak a sweet red juice that resembles cranberry juice.
Another Good Substitute: Lingonberries
Lingonberries are another type of red berry that look similar but are a little separate. They are more like a cranberry cousin with the same genus, Vaccinium while redcurrants come from the Ribes family. Because they have a similar flavour to cranberries, they are perfect to substitute in their place in something like cranberry sauce or even a cranberry jam recipe. But they are probably a bit rarer than cranberries themselves so maybe not the easiest substitution to try!
Related but Different Colour: Blueberries
Who else belongs to the Vacinnium genus? Blueberries are also relatives of cranberries, in the same genus. These can also suffice in a pinch. Once cooked, their colour will become quite dark, but they go wonderfully with all types of dark meat.
Bonus Tip: Increase Tartiness with Lemon Juice
If you feel like the cranberry substitutes here aren’t quite cutting it on the tartiness factor or you have some frozen cranberries that aren’t as sharp as you’d like, you can always increase this by adding some lemon juice. Don’t be too heavy-handed or it will make everything too sour or lemon flavoured but it can help tilt a dish in the right direction.
